THE GARDEN

Southland Times, Issue 22207, 27 December 1933, Page 12

THE GARDEN

WORK FOR THE WEEK (By J. A. McPherson.) The Greenhouse. The only seed sowing requiring attention at the present time is that of Primula obconica. This is a plant which is a splendid grower for winter work under glass and if spring blooms are scarce the plants with a little feeding can be made to last right into the summer. The only difficulty is at the start, for the seeds appear slow in germinating and rather erratic as well. This season I tried a new method and it appears to have worked splendidly. Fill the seed pots or boxes with their usual supply of soil but instead of sowing the seeds in the soil, cover the surface with at least a quarter of an inch of fine river gravel that has been freed from sand. Sow the seeds on the gravel and wash them down between the particles with a light watering. The seed quickly germinates and the young seedlings make very rapid growth. Try this method with your next batch of seed. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them off into boxes of sandy soil and later pot them into three-inch pots Towards late autumn they will require their final shift into five-inch pots. Old plants held over from last season can be carefully split up and repotted. Watch the watering for a week or two until the plants have a firm hold of the soil. The Flower Garden. Good strains of Polyanthus may be split up and replanted into well manured ground. If their permanent position for next spring bedding is occupied by summer plants, line them out in a cool corner and they may be shifted again in the autumn when general spring bedding is being carried out. The same can be done with Primroses and Auriculas. Anemones and Ranunculus can be lifted and heeled into an odd corner to dry off. When all the foliage has ripened off, lift' the tubers and after giving them a dusting of sulphur, store in a dry and airy shed. Grape Hyacinths must be lifted as soon as possible if it is intended to shift their position. They do not have a very long resting period and any heavy rains in late January will quickly start them into growth again. This is an excellent time to take cuttings of Aubretias and other quickgrowing Alpines. Insert tip cuttings in boxes of sandy soil and stand in cool sheltered position. Mignonette Nasturtiums and Virginian Stock if sown broadcast over bare patches in the garden will give a quick display for late summer. Canterbury Bells are coming back into favour and to have good plants for blooming this time next year, the seeds must be sown during January. Sow thinly and transplant the seedlings at a distance of six inches apart. By the autumn well grown plants will be available for setting out into their permanent positions. Brompton and East Lothian Stocks must be sown if plants are required for flowering next spring. Pick off all spent blooms from roses and spray the plants to keep off attacks of mildew. Lime-sulphur in its summer strength may be used or potassium sulphide at the rate of one ounce to four gallons of water. Much can be done to assist Rhododendrons if the old seed heads are removed and the plants given a mulching of old leaves or lawn trimmings.

Philadelphus (mock orange) has now finished blooming and the plants can be pruned by cutting out all old flowering wood. This will force away new growth on which will be borne the flowers for next season. The same can be done with Weigelias and is the only way to keep these plants from becoming straggly and worn out. Feed and tie up Sweet Peas and stake all herbaceous plants. Remember to cut over Delphiniums and Pyrethrums as soon as they have finished blooming. Chrysanthemums.

All large blooming Chrysanthemums must be potted into their final pots or tins. Give them good rough potting material and see that it is well firmed round the roots. Keep the plants outside and to prevent the pots from becoming waterlogged stand the pots on boards oi- on a bed of gravel or a 'hes. See that the leading shoots are well tied to stakes and to prevent the pots blowing over in a gale of wind tie the stakes to a’stout wire stretched along the row at a height of three feet. Feeding the plants must not commence till they have commenced to exhaust the nourishment in the new potting soil. If space is left at the tops of the pots when repotting a top-dressing of rich compost can be given about the end of February, Caterpillars and greenfly must be kept in check and a sharp look-out kept to ward off attacks of earwigs. Vegetables. Supplies of home-grown vegetables are plentiful just now; but a watch should be kept to aid continuity of quick growing crops. Lettuce may still be planted out on to rich land and a further sowing made of radishes. Sow Mustard and Cress to keep up supplies. When lifting early potatoes do not expose them to the sun for any length of time as it will quickly turn them yellow in the flesh. Main crop potatoes must be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture to keep away the very dreaded blight which if not checked will quickly ruin promising crops.

As land becomes available, commence to plant out the main batch of Savoys, Broccoli, Kale, Drumhead Cabbages and Brussel Sprouts See that the ground is well firmed round the roots and that the plants are given a hoeing up about three to four weeks after planting. Leeks are a splendid winter and spring vegetable and should be planted during the month of January. The method of planting has been recently explained in these notes. Main crops of Celery should be got into their trenches as soon as possible. Onion epn still be sown for drawing young and using in salads. If dwarf varieties of peas are sown now they will come in most useful during the autumn. Sow New Zealand Spinach and thin the plants out to two feet apart each way.

Do not leave refuse or old stumps of green crops about the garden; nothing brings and harbours disease and pests quicker. Take it all to the compost heap and cover with a light sprinkling of lime and soil. i..6rlA Mu-nclbkeßefi-edWl THE WIREWORM HOW TO CONTROL A MUCHDREADED PEST. The wireworm is one of the most destructive soil pests in Great Britain. The condition of potatoes in store, punctured, as many of them are, by wireworm attack, is eloquent of the need for remedial measures. The wireworm feeds for a longer

period than any other British larva. Any time from three to five years may intervene between the laying of the egg and the development of the click beetle. All this period, except during the coldest weather, the wireworm is feeding. Its diet is very varied. No kind of root comes amiss, but a preference is shown for potatoes, carnations, and tomatoes. Frequently, in the case of the last-named plant, the larva insinuates itself into the main waterways of the plant, and causes complete collapse and death. It is most important that stern measures of attack should be taken wherever wireworm are present. Some years ago I conducted an exhaustive trial of various corrective measures, and 1 found my best weapon in freshly-slaked lime. Though this substance may not bring about complete eradiction after a heavy attack, it will reduce it to negligible proportions. There is something about lime to which wireworms take a violent dislike. The substance should be added at the rate of lib per square yard, and I find that it is an advantage to fork it into the soil to a depth of not more than four inches. The offensive may be carried further. A study of the life history of the click beetle reveals the fact that the females lay their eggs at the roots of tufts of grasses. Such tufts of grass may frequently be seen on walks and in odd corners of the garden. They are aliens which should be rooted out at the earliest possible moment. It is said that every living organism has a partiality for something. Just as cats and rats are attracted to valerian, so are wireworms attracted to scooped-out portions of carrots. I have caught hundreds of these creatures in this way at different times. It is necessary to bury the scooped-out carrots just beneath the surface of the soil. They should be examined periodically for the purpose of collecting any wireworms that are feeding in them. Wireworms appear legless, but have six very tiny legs at the head end. — G. H. C, in Amateur Gardening. PYRETHRUMS These beautiful daisy flowers are much appreciated in the garden at the present, time. The efforts of raisers have given us numerous very beautiful varieties, ranging in colour from pure white to purple, through various shades of blush, pink, rose and crimson. They differ also in form, some having perfectly double flowers and others with guard florets like an anemone. The single varieties are also highly decorative, and are much employed for table decoration, lasting a long time when cut (says the Manawatu Daily Times) No special soil is necessary for the successful culture of pyrethrums, since they will grow well in any good, fertile soil, preferring one of a medium, loamy nature, or even light loam, strong clay being the worst soil of all for them. The situation should be sunny, and the ground should be deeply dug and well manured first of all. Plants may be divided and replanted immediately after flowering, giving the plants a good soaking of water occasionally to get them to settle. Slugs are partial to pyrethrums, especially when newly planted. Wonderfully good results may be obtained by sowing seeds, and if a good strain is purchased, a fair proportion of double flowered varieties will be obtained. Named varieties can only be propagated by division, the stools should be carefully cut with a sharp knife so as to allow of at least one crown to each plant. When the weather is dry at planting time it is a good plan to dip the fibrous roots in a puddle of soil and water. The plants should be made very firm in the ground. Seeds it. y be sown in the same -way as those of any other hardy perennial. THE ONION BEDS ATTENTION NECESSARY. About this time of the year the onion crop will probably be in need of some attention. As long as it remains possible the hoeing of the surface between the rows should be continued to maintain a mulch and to make all weeds conspicuous by their absence. When the plants have made further growth it will be impossible to walk between the rows and this tillage must be stopped. Weeds must then be removed by hand. The question of keeping the onion crop supplied with moisture during the (says the New Zealand Herald), and, (says the Auckland Herald), and, although this is not of prime importance at the present, it is possible that in a few weeks’ time one may be called on to apply water by artificial means. The supply of moisture governs the yield it a certain extent, and if the crop is allowed to suffer through lack in this respect, growth will cease, and the half-grown bulbs will ripen off.

Another item of attention consists of making regular applications of spray to prevent the plants from becoming attacked by the onion mildew. This pest is fairly prevalent at present, and the loss may be serious if steps are not taken to check this disease. Like the majority of fungous diseases the mildew spreads most rapidly when the weather is humid and an application should be made whenever the conditions are at all muggy. Otherwise an interval of three weeks may be allowed between them. Lime sulphur, 1 in 50, is the best spray for this purpose, and it is useful to dust the foliage with atomic sulphur through a piece of butter muslin.

Almost invariably a certain number of the plants will throw up seed-stalks, and if these are allowed to develop they will spoil the production of good bulbs. The best way of checking their development is to “top” them—i.e., cut off the flower heads near the top of the stalk as soon as they appear. The seed-stalk is narrowest near the top, and will not be as liable to catch the rainwater if cut off there as it would be if cut off lower down.

Onions from sprouting bulbs which were replanted in the early spring to provide an early crop will all send up their seed-stalks and these should be treated in the manner described above. The time for harvesting these onions is approaching rapidly, and every effort should be made to force their growth to the maximum.

The thinning of the spring-sown crop should be attended to when the plants are becoming too crowded. Usually one leaves the extra plants for use as salad onions, and if the demand for this class of onion has not been sufficient to result in the proper thinning out of the crop one must attend to this matter without delay.